Key facts
- Americans spend significant time on sleeping, working, and relaxing, according to the 2025 American Time Use Survey.
- Personal care activities, including sleeping, averaged the most time daily.
- Full-time employed individuals worked an average of 8.45 hours on weekdays.
- Women spent more time on household tasks and childcare compared to men.
- Men spent more time on work and sports/recreation compared to women.
- Teens dedicated more time to educational activities than other age groups.
New data from the 2025 American Time Use Survey, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, details how Americans spend their days. The survey indicates that personal care activities, which include sleeping, showering, and grooming, occupy the most time on average, with 10.44 hours on weekends and holidays and 9.53 hours on weekdays.
Work-related activities and leisure also consume substantial portions of the day. Full-time employed individuals reported spending an average of 8.45 hours working on weekdays and 5.49 hours on weekend days. On days worked, these individuals also spent approximately three hours on leisure and sports, one hour on household activities, and one hour on eating and drinking.
The survey also highlighted demographic differences in time allocation. Teens spent more time on educational activities compared to other age groups, while individuals in their mid-60s and older dedicated more time to household tasks. Gender disparities were noted, with men spending more time working and on sports and recreation, while women spent more time on housework, food preparation, childcare, and caring for others. Unemployed individuals reported spending more waking hours alone than those who were employed.